Apparatus for feeding fine fuel.



. A. WBLTON.

APPARATUS FOR FBBDlNG FINE FUEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.1,1911.

J. A. WELTON.

APPARATUS POR PEBDING FINE FUEL.

APPLIGATION IILED MAR.1,1911.

' 9931929@ Patented May 30, 1911,

Z 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

afa/wey ilk usure JOHN A. WELTON, OF CANAL BUYER, GHIO.

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FINE FUEL.

Speccation of Letters Balans.

Parenteel May S, 'lill-lill.

Application filed March l, will. Serial No. 611,594.

To all whom 'it may concern Re il known that lf, JOHN A. `WELT0N, a cilizen of Jthe United States, residing at lanal Dover. in the county of Tuscarawas and Stale of Ohio, have invented certainv new and useful' lluprovemenls in Apparatus for Feeding lline Fuel., of which the following is a specification.

rThis invention relales to certain new and useful inulirovemenls in apparatus for feeding* line-fuel lo steam boiler and other furneces and regulating the feed of Jche fuel auloinaically by conditions of boiler pressure.

Among the objects or the present invenlion may be stated the following: First. The provision or" improved means for grinding or reducing the fuel ifrone` a lump or coarse fornito a pulver-ized condition to enable il to heinjecled into the furnace under pressure andv in such quantities as "the boiler conditions require. Second. The employnienl of improved means for automatically controlling the furnace lire according 'lo lihe pressure in the boiler, fue luel supply being reduced when lheboiler pressure rises above a i'iredelerinlned poin,l and increased when Jche boiler pressure drops below this point. Third. rlhe use of improved means 1for feeding air into the hre-box or" the furnace and mixing Ehe saule with the gases and fuel, in order lio secure .more perfect combustion thereof. Fourth. rlfhe einployinenlJ of a regulator exposed lo llie action of the steam in the holler and rhe connection of 1this regulater to the means controlling the fuel-supply. Fifth. The provision of a fuel-supply hopper having a gate-controlled bottom or outlet the opening and closing of `which is auromarically controlled liy connections from @he pressure regulator.

With the above and other objects in View, .my invenrion consisrs of the paris, and fthe conslruciions, arrangements and combinaious of paris which will hereinaiter ile'- scrilie claim.

'ln the accompanying drawing forming part of lliis specification and in which siiuilar reference cliaracers indicare like curls in che eral views: Figure l is a parl longitudinal secional View and a part elevazion or a locomotive boiler, showing the rueleeding mechanism in side elevation.y Fig. is sn enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the uel reducing and feeding means showing lshe pulverizing` inullers, a steam turbine and a rotary air aniecr directing the pulverized fuel and air under pressure to Jche furnace. Fig. 3 is a part elevation and parl sectional View of the fuel hopper showing the crushing devices. Fig. l is an end view of the fuel hopper showing Jche eX- terior casing removed and showing the dempers or gate valves which form the bottorn oi'f lhe hopper, and means for operating the saine. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of. a pressure regulator. Fig. 6 is a sectional View of the distributing head `for discharging ihe fuel into the furnace. Fig. Y illustrates a means hy which rhe cani shall; 29, may be manually operated.

While l have shown my invenion in connecrion with a locomotive-boiler furnace, l wish il; understood that the several improvements are capable of use with equal faciliy Willi a stationary boiler, and with anyhoiler furnace Where the automatic 'regulation 'of the fire by boiler 'pressure is desired; ei;- cept as indicated, the invention is slierefore norJ limited to any particular' style of heller or furnace.

The llocornolive boiler herewith shown for illustrative purposes may De of any approved type. ll; is shown as having a suitable boiler, l0, contained within ille shell casing, 1l, said shell or casing having the usual smoke hon, l2, leading lo lehe slack, 13, and said shell may include any well known forni of feed Water lieafoer7 ll, and a steam deine, l5. YlChese features forni no essential parl. of my invention and accordingly are nel; illustraled in derail. rlhe locomolive vholler shown is provided with a furnace and which furnace ,may also loe or any appropriarsi ype'; ici' cerlain reasons l prefer to construct `he furnace as shown, namely, Willi a lire-loon, B, which is substantially cylindrical in cross section and has ils shell, C, corrugated ihroughoul ils en'ire length, such a Siruerure lacing sulislanlially lhe saine as than closed in my prior lla-reni No.. 804,286, dared Elev. lle/@5, and being shown in my oriner apr i ction, Ser. llo. filed Nov. .WQ-'9.

l liront J lire-loci; luis a suitable and this end ci? lille lire-cox is mounted a. gliele, lll, which il" of llie sliulrchars-,crier Willloe provided willi oprod, 17. l gr 'c `foes noteer/1nd or, c

che length ci? inina'res short of elle rear en lliereo, und

between the rear of the grate and the rear of the ire-hox and arrangeei substantially close to the rear end et the grate is the arch7 18, which rises from the bottom ofthe hre-hoz; and exten/is in a eurvedup'wardiy anni forwarfiiy iiireeti-on over the rear enti of the grate, said. arch having a straight portion extending at en incline toward the .trent o the tire-box, hut terminating' short thereof and also of the top Walt of the tirehoi; so that products of combustion may pass'upwarciiy under the hre-box and over the upper front end thereof sundL through the space left between the tire archv and the Waii of the tire-horg- This arch extends through vout the entire Width of the hehe-X and Wiifi he construe-teti of tire-brick or other refractory material; it is :toi-ined with a checkered air passage. i99 opening at one enti through the bottoni ot the irehoi; and. at the opposite end through the outer enti of the arch and` into the space between the arch anni the inner Walls of said irehox. The passage7 197 ti'irough the areh is pro vided for the purpose of feeding air into the tire-hex, to support combustion, and during the passage of this air through said arch the air comes into Contact with the heateot Walls of the passage anii'is heateo and after leavingv the passage the air thoroughiy mined` with the gases and other products ot combustion as they pass from under the grate into the space ahove the arch whereby these products are entirely consumed. This construction of the .is desirahie to the roost economicai ami successfui Working of the invention., for the reason that in front. ot or under the arch. temperature can he .maintained that wiii he tow enough prevent the tourner terminais hereinafter menti'o3-tied 'from carhonising, and heeoining choked hy the fusi; withthe construction shown am enehieii to keep a fire under the arch at a haw temperature l whiie the. chamber to the rear the arch can' maize es hot a tire as Ii may desire hy the addition oi as much heated a es may he requiredl eonipiete combustion. L thereforeo can produce a fire with a desired.' Ciegree of intensity by the use of ai ne tuei whiie maintain the greatest temperature :it s point hach of the erehu thev tire under the, srch and iinineciiateiy over 'the heine; at a comparativeiy iow tein'oerature.

Beiow the ievei oit the gratethe arehis rov'idett With a. damper., 20., which opens into the space heiosv the grate 'which damper when open-eci siiows air to he deiv ere@ through here to the hres thereon; re. .tion of. the parts is de sirahe when starting the Q hre, after which 5.v'erizaeo tuoi is iniecteo into the :tire heir.I

DV as i Wiii reseotiy eserihe and hiirnefi in above the damper, 20; upon ciosing the second named damper and opening the first named damper7 20, the air is out oti` from the grate hars and delivered through the checkered air passage to be heated and discharged at the upper end of the arch in the presence of the products of combustion escaping troni beneath the. arch. Below the grate the bottoni of the "rebox is provided with an opening, 4, ci soine appropriate character through which the ashes may he discharged :from time to time.

use fuel in a puiverized forni it 'is Cieiivered into trie tire-box under more or less pressure'. rEhe ineens for feeding the fuel which means constitute the leading feature oi" iny invention, I Will now escribe.

'ihe material is deiivered in any suitable manner and from any suitable source otl suppiy into a hopper. 22, i? l, 2 and which hopper is supported at the upper end oit a suitable supporting traine or casing, 23. The hopper is formed of s. pair oi dainpers or siiniiargatesy/A, having curved up per surfaces, 25, jointiy 'forming the hottoin or" the hopper and upon Which surfaces the uei is received. The dampers or gates are pivotaiiy mounted. at their upper ends and their iower portions are in the :torni of ourve erinsa 26. which extend. downwarfiiy curving toward each other and are colfinectn ed hy ineens of toggle-links, 27? pivoteci together at their inner ends by means of a connecting rod, seid. rod resting in Contact with the periphery of a @am or eccentric, 28., fixed. to a horizontal. shaft., 29, as shown .in Figs. and

.Each ot the (iampers or gates which constitute the bottom et the hopper may have the forni shown in Fig. i and the curved surfaces, 25, which constitute the bottom ot the feet space or" the hopper are designed, to suhstantialiy :neet so that the opening in the bottoni offthe hopper may be entirely closed, under certain conditions; the dani pers or gates nisy also he swungabout their pivots or caused to move away from each other to open up a space between them and 'which space ornis discharge through which the tine fuel is permitted, unfler other Working conditions, to pass from the hopper into a grinding chamber, 30.. This chamber is torinesi. Within the traine or casing, 23,

iis

and Within the chamber operates e grinding roti, 31, the essential purpose oit which isto rede/ice any iumps or materia?. which may pass from the hopper into, the chamber whereby the material is pnlverizefi and piaceri in such condition that it ney he readily forced under pressure inte' the firehox, :is it Witt now deserihe l Connected with the cti-sing which supports the hopper and grinding roher, is a cylindera 32, which isfhorisontally .disposed :in-{ithrough which cyiinder passes a shaft, 33.

ceases upon one end of which is mounted a pinion, 34, which meshes with a gear wheel, 35, on a shaft, 36, journaled in the casing and extending through the. hopper space between t-he dampers or gates, 24, said second shaft having winged rolls, 36", to assist in feeding the material through the hopper, and for keeping'the material in a loose state in the hopper.

In order that the greater portion ofthe weight of the coal may be supported out of contact with the crushing and feeding rolls vin the hopper and the weight removed from the dampers or gates, which form the bottom of the hopper, I place over the said crushing and feeding rolls any suitable form of shield, 37, upon which the weight of the coal is largely carried. rlhis enables me to operate the dampers with less power than otherwise would occur.

The cylinder, 32, houses a series of mullers, 38, which are fixed to the shaft, 33, and which mullers are separated from each other by transverse washers or flanges, 39, with central openings through which the material passes from one muller to the other. These washers or flanges and the shell of the cylinder constitute chambers in which the separate mullers operate, and the material reduced by the grinding roller in the cylinder, 32, is conveyed into the chamber' containing the first muller and is further reduced and finally is passed through the suc cessive chambers until it merges from the final chamber intov the casing of a rotary fan, 40. This fan has a discharge pipe, 41, for delivering the now pulverized fuel into the furnace the said discharge pipe being connected with a discharge head, 42, mounted inthe front wall of the furnace and which head is provided with an internal enlarged chamber from which lead a series of nozzles, 43 said nozzles being mounted in the front wall-of the lire-box and adapted to discharge the material directly into the tire-box and into the space below the curve-d arch thereof. The construction and operation of this head do not depart ma.- terially from what is disclosed in my aforesaid application, the head. having suitable screws, 44, mounted upon stems, 45, whereby a whirling motion may be imparted to the fuel as it is delivered ,through the noz-` zles into the furnace, said screws being axially in line with the nozzles and being so ,proportioned that they may be passed into the nozzles to serve as flue Scrapers for removing any particles which mightadhere to the walls of the said nozzles.

Between the casing, 23, and the inlet end rllhe shaft,-33, extends through the dustfan casing and is mounted in appropriate bearings fixed to the furnace casing, as shown in Fig. 1, and on the inner end of this shaft is mounted the casing of an air fan, 48, having an inlet, 49, and a discharge, 50, which connects with a passage leading through the bottom of the lire-box and communicating with the passage, 19, in the hollow arch before mentioned.4 l also mount upon the shaft, 33, a steam turbine, 51, of some well known and appropriate character, which is operated by steam delivered through the pipe, 52, leading from the steam dome or steam space of the boiler, said pipe being controlled by a steam regulator, 53, of any approved type, having an adjustment tube, 54. A valve, 55, in this pipe will per mit the turbine to be controlled independent of the regulator.

Above the lire-box and in the steam space of the boiler, is also mounted a pressure regulator, 56, of some appropriate character and which regulator may follow more or less closely the form shown in Fig. 5, namely the regulator may ,consist of two similar shells, 57, bolted together and corrugated, and inclosing between them a suitable spring, 58. Through the shellsand spring passes a rod, 59, and on this rod is mounted a follower or nut, 60, threaded to the inside of a tube, 61, having a hexagonal or many-sided nut, 62, for the application of a wrench whereby the nut or follower may be adjusted to regulate the tension of the spring. Any well known form of pressure regulator either of the diaphragm or other type may be employed if desirable without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The tube, 61, which is connected with the regulator is open to the atmosphere at the outer end, and the rod, 59, extends through this open end and is connected to one arm of a bell crank lever, 63, pivotally mounted on the front of the furnace shell, the other' arm of the bell crank lever being provided with a series of holes, 64, to any one of which may be pivotally connected the upper end of aA rod, 65, whose lower end is likewise adjustably pivotally connected to a crank arm, 66,

fixed to the cam-shaft, Q9, before mentioned.

The shaft, v33, may also be provided with some appropriate form of clutch mechanisni,-

67, Fig. 2, toenable me to disengage the dampers which control the feed of the material from the hopper, from the damper-regulator to enable me to manually increase` when desired, the supply of coal to take care of a temporary overload. l

In order that the grinding roll may properly reduce the material toa sufficient degree of incness mount in the wall of the cylinder in which this roll operates, a hardened steel strip or die. 68, which is adjustable toward and from the roll, by means of a screw,

yles

69, whereby the lineness of the material may be regulated, the surface of this die or plate and the periphery ofthe roll being serrated or toothed or otherwise formed to produce the best'grinding effect.

The ends of the hopper formed by the upper curved surface of the dampers or gates, 24, are formed by the vertical sides of the casing, 23, which casing is shown in Fig/8 asy formed of upper and lower sections, and 71, the line of division being in the plane of the axis or bearing shaft of the grinding roll, and the parts being secured together by flanges and bolts as shown. In the lower part of this casing and communicating in some appropriate manner with the grindingcylinder or with the cylinder in which the mullers operate, is an air` inlet, 7 2, controlled by an appropriate shutter, 7 3, having an arm, 74, which lis actuated to open and close the shutter by a suitable cam on the regulating shaft, whereby the supply of air is automatically controlled. If desired I may also employ an air shutter, 75, controlling an opening or passage, 76, leading into the front end ofthe muller cylinder and which shutter may be operated by hand to admit air to the cylinder when desired, and proximate to this air opening I fix within the cylinder a shield, 77, to prevent the dust from being blown out of the opening by the first muller wheel.

From this description it will be seen that the feed of the fine fuel is automatically regulated and controlled by boiler conditions; that the turbine is operated by steam taken from the steam space of the boiler and that this turbine operates the shaft which carries the mull'ers and grinding features; that the regulator is provided for actuating the cam shaft and thereby opening and closing the dampers,` which control the fuel feed in response to boiler pressure; and that a throttle valve is employed to control the speed of the turbine'independent of the regulator, to take care of a temporary overload. The coal is ground at the'time of using it, thereby avoiding a surplus which might pos. sibly cause an explosion, and the feed of this fuel together' with the feed of air is at all vtimes automatic and responds to boiler conditions.

The clutch, 67, may not be essential under all conditions and especially when using the featuresy shown in Fig. 1. lIhese features include the lever, 80, which is pivoted at one end and slidably operates over a quadrant, 81. To this lever at different distances from the axis thereof, are pivoted the inner ends of the two parts of the rod,`65, whichvslide through appropriate guides, 83, on the quadrant. By means of this construction it is possible for the fireman to regulate the quantityof coal going into the fire boX as -the cam, 66, can by means of the parts described,

'ters Patent. is

1. In apparatus forl feeding fine fuel, the combination of a steam-boiler furnace; a fuel receiver; a fuel conduit leading from the, receiver to the fire-box of the furnace; fuel reducing elements arranged to opera-tel -on the fuel as it passes through said conduit; means for supplying air to the furnace with the fuel; a pressure regulator exposed to boiler pressure and operable thereby; a pair of connected dampers movable toward and from each other controlling the outlet from the fuelreceiver; and connections between the pressure regulator and said dampers whereby the dampers are openedl and closed automatically in response to variations in boiler pressure, said connections including a cam-shaft and means connecting the same with the pair of dempers.

2. In apparatus for feeding fine fuel, the combination of a steam boiler furnace, a fuel receiver having a\ pair of connected oppositely movable dampers controlling the outlet therefrom, a fuel reducing mechanism connecting directly with the fuel receiver, a fuel conducting mechanism between the reducing mechanism and the lire box of the furnace, a pressure regulator exposed to the action of boiler pressure, and connections between the pressure regulator and the pair of dampers whereby the area of said outlet is increased and diminished in response 4to variat-ions in boiler pressure, said connections including a rock shaft and a ca'm and devices connecting the same with the pair of dampers.-

3. In apparatus for feeding fine fuel, the combination of a steam-boiler furnace; a fuel receiver; a fuel conduit leading from the receiver to the fire-box of the furnace; fuel reducing elements arranged to operate on the fuel as it passes through said conduit; means for supplying air to the furnace with the fuel; a pressure regulator exposed to boiler pressure and operable thereby; a pair of connected dampers controlling the outlet from the fuel receiver, and connectionsbetween the pressure regulator and said dampers whereby the dampers are opened and closed automatically in response to variations in boiler pressure; said connectionsincluding a caln-shaft and devices be-` tween the same and each of said dampers, and means controlled by the pressure regulator fo'r varying .the supply of air in re- Uli fuel-reducing elements, fuel-feeding means connecting with the tire-box of the furnace, said means comprising a pair of dampers pivoted at their upper ends and having upper portions fashioned to form the bottom of a receiver for the fuel, said dampers having extended portions which approach each other to increase or decrease the fuel discharge passage, a pressure regulator ex posed to the boiler pressure, and connections between the regulator and the extended portions of the damper for moving said dampers in unison in opposite directions in response to variations in boiler pressure.

5. In apparatus for feeding tine fuel, the combination with a steam boiler furnace, of fuel-feeding means connecting with the firebox of the furnace, said means comprising a pair of dampers pivoted at their upper ends and having upper portions fashioned to form the bottom of a receiver for the fuel, said dampers having extended p0rtio-ns which approach each other at the lower ends, and being movable toward and from each other to increaseA or decrease the fuel discharge passage, a pressure regulator exposed to the boiler pressure, and connections between the regulator and the damper for moving said dampers in unison in response to variations in boiler pressure, said connections comprising a regulating shaft having a cani, and a toggledinlt connection between the free ends of the dam pers and. engaged and-operated by said cam, and connections between the pressure regulator and the regulating cam-shaft.

(3. In apparatus for feeding fine fuel, the combination with a steam boiler furnace, of fuel-feeding means connect-ing with the lirebox of said furnace, said means comprising a casing, a pair of similar dampers Within the casing and pivotally mounted at their upper ends, said dampers having upper curved portions adapted to form the bottom of a fuel receiver, and being movable t-oward and from cach other to increase or decrease the size of the fuel outlet, crushing devices within the casing below said fuel receiver and receiving fuel directly therefrom, said dampers having their lower ends extended, a toggle-link connection between the lower ends of the dampers, a regulating sha ft having a cam for operating the togglelevers whereby the dampers are opened and closed relative to each other, a pressure regulator exposed to boiler pressure, and connections between the regulator and the said shaft whereby the shaft is turned to move the damper and vary the feed of the fuel in response to variations in the boiler pressure.

7. ln apparatus forifeeding tine fuel, the combination of a fuel receiver comprising a asing and a pair of similar dampers having curved upper portions forming the bottom of the receiver, said dampers being movable toward and from eachother to vary the size of the fuel outlet, and .having extended lower portions, a rotary feeder and agitator in the fuel receiver, between t-he curved upper surfaces of the damper, a shield above the rotary feeder for sustaining a part of the weight of the fuel and maintaining the fuel out of Contact with the upper portion of the feeder, av pressure regulator exposed to boiler pressure, and a rock shaft and connections between the regulator and the extended portions of the pair of dampers for operating the dampers in unison in response to variations in boiler pressure.

8. In apparatus for feeding tine fuel, the combination of a fuel receiver having a damper-controlled outlet, fuel reducing means with which the outletconnects, a pressure regulator exposed to boiler pressure, a cam-shaft and connections between the regulatorand the damper-controlled outlet of the fuel receiver for increasing or decreasing `the size of the outlet in response to variations in boiler pressure, damper-controlled means for admitting air to mix With the fuel after it has been reduced, and means connecting with said shaft whereby the damper `of the .air-admission means .may be actuated in response to variations in boiler pressure.

9. In apparatus for feeding tine fuel, the combination of a steam boiler furnace, a fuel receiver having a damper controlled outlet, a pressure regulator exposed to boiler pressure, a cam-shaft and connectionsb between the pressure regulator and the dampers of the receiver for operating the latter in re-` sponse to variations in boiler pressure, reducing agents to the action of which the fuel is subjected after leaving the receiver, a. horizontal cylinder provided with revoluble mullers, means connecting with said shaft for admitting air to said cylinder for admixture with the fuel, a fan casing at t-he discharge end of said cylinder having a discharge leading to the furnace fire-box, and a rotary fan in said casing for delivering the fuel through said discharge and into the fire box.

10. ln apparatus for feeding line fuel, the combination'of a steam boiler furnace, a fuel receiver having a damper controlled outlet, a pressure regulator exposed to boiler pressure, a cam-shaft and connections between thc pressure regulator and the dampers of the receiver for operating the latter in response to variations in boiler pressure, reducing agents to the action of Which `the fuel is subjected after leaving the recelver, a horizontal cylinder provided with revoluble mullers, means connecting with said shaft, for admitting air to said cylinder for admixtnre with the fuel, a fan casing at the discharge end of said cylinder having a discharge leading to the furnace fire-box, and a rotary fan in said casing for delivering the fuel through said discharge and into the firebox, said fire-box having a distributing head, into which the discharge from the fan casingwjdelivers and said head having nozzles through which the fuel is injected into the fire-box to be burned in suspension.

11. In apparatus for feeding fine fuel, the combination of a steam boiler furnace, a fuel receiver, a fuel conduit leading from the receiver to the fire-box of the flirnace, fuel reducing elements arranged to operate on the fuel as it passes through said conduit, means for supplying air to the furnace With the fuel, a pressure regulator exposed to boiler pressure and operable thereby, dampers controlling the outlet from the fuel receiver, a cam shaft and connections between the pressure regulator vand said dampers whereby the dampers are opened and closed automatically in response to variations inl boiler pressure, a steam turbine for operating the fuel reducingelements, a steam regulator in the boiler and connections between the same and the turbine for controlling the latter in response to variations in boiler presreducing the fue a casing extending horizontally from one side of the first casing,

having a horizontal shaft extending through it, mullers fixed to said shaft, said casings connecting so that the reduced material may pass into the second casing, means for admitting air to the second casing along with the fuel, Washers or partitions in the second casing between the mullers and forming chambers for said mullers, said Washers being open at the center to permit the material to be advanced successivelyT through the casings, and a shield proximate to the first muller and the air inlet and serving to prevent the dust from being forced out of said inlet. In testimony whereof I affix Iny'signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN A. VELTON. lVitnesses:

IvoR HARRIS, HARRY H. Hos'rETLER. 

